Automated plant growing facility

ABSTRACT

An automated growing facility for plants, seeds, or seedlings is disclosed. The facility comprises a growing chamber, a fertigation station, a load/unload station, a device such as an automated guided vehicle (AGV) configured to transport grow modules, and a control system configured to control at least one of the grow modules, the fertigation station, the load/unload station, and the AGV. The grow modules are transported from the growing chamber to the fertigation station using the AGV for fertigating plant vessels in growing trays of the grow modules, and the fertigated plants vessels are transported from the fertigation station to the growing chamber using the AGV. Further, the plant vessels are loaded into the growing trays and unloaded from the growing trays at the load/unload station.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/252,525, filed Oct. 5, 2021, the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/252,533, filed on Oct. 5, 2021, the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/236,512, filed on Aug. 24, 2021, the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/138,391, filed on Jan. 15, 2021, and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/138,389, filed on Jan. 15, 2021, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The inherent difficulties of growing and maintaining large individual quantities of edible plant matter are sufficiently extensive that the field doesn't have a particularly strong record of innovation. Mistakes at any point in the growing and maintaining process(es) often instantly lead to unusable products, with no possibility of recovery or regeneration. In short, methods and apparatus for growing and maintaining large individual quantities of edible plant matter impose requirements of precision wholly unknown in most other industries. Each individual stage for the methods and apparatus imposes its own separate challenges.

Existing methods of maintaining and monitoring plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants pose a number of challenges. Plant maintenance in storage devices is often overlooked, as said storage devices lack the means to provide effective light and circulating air needed for all plant growth. Since storage devices don't easily adapt to plant growth throughout a complete cycle, e.g., from germination to finishing, monitoring plants becomes difficult as plants grown in a storage device according to varying criteria (e.g., size) may need commensurately different monitoring criteria.

Finally, the means of handling and transporting plants from a plant storage device to a means of fertigating said plants extracted from said device and to a means of harvesting said plants is often labor-intensive and prone to mistakes. Existing methods of transporting the plants from one part of a plant facility to another part of the plant facility necessitates moving the plant from one tray to another. However, this affects the growth of plants at different stages.

A need therefore exists for a method of operating a plant facility in order to store, monitor, and transport plants efficiently.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one aspect, an automated growing facility includes a growing chamber, including grow modules holding plant vessels, including growing trays configured to accommodate the plant vessels. The grow modules further include light trays, tray support and securement features configured to adjustably support and secure the growing trays and the light trays within the grow modules, and ventilation systems. The automated growing facility also includes a fertigation station with a fertigation gantry lift including a tray attachment feature configured to securely attach to the growing trays. The fertigation station also includes a tray movement system configured to transfer growing trays between the grow modules and the fertigation station. The fertigation system also includes a vessel clamping system and an injection system. The automated growing facility also includes a load/unload station which has a load/unload module and a load/unload process module configured to at least one of load the plant vessels into the growing trays, load the growing trays into the grow modules, unload the growing trays from the grow modules, and unload the plant vessels from the growing trays. The load/unload station includes a load/unload movement system configured to transfer growing trays between the grow modules and the load/unload station. The automated growing facility also includes at least one grow module transport device configured to transport grow modules throughout the automated growing facility. The automated growing facility finally includes a control system configured to control at least one of the grow modules, the fertigation station, the load/unload station, and the at least one grow module transport device.

In one aspect, a method of operating an automated growing facility, the method includes transporting grow modules from a growing chamber to a fertigation station using at least one grow module transport device configured to transport the grow modules. The method also includes fertigating the plant vessels. The method finally includes transporting the grow modules containing fertigated plant vessels to the growing chamber using the at least one grow module transport device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.

FIG. 1 illustrates an automated growing facility 100 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a fertigation system 200 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a grow module 300 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a fertigation station 400 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 5A illustrates a tray movement system 500 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 5B illustrates a tray movement system 500 in greater detail in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a fertigation system 600 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a load/unload station 700 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a load/unload module 800 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a light adjust station 900 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates an automated guided vehicle or grow module transport device 1000 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates a control system 1100 in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates a routine 1200 in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

“Control system” in this disclosure refers to a device including a processor, logic, electrical wiring, switches, and similar components, for controlling and passing electrical power to other components or devices. This may be housed within a secure enclosed container, typically metal or plastic, for shielding these components.

“Day tank” in this disclosure refers to a non-reactive container for storing fluids to be used on a periodic, e.g., daily basis. For a fertigation system, a day tank may contain a time-limited supply of water and/or nutrients previously mixed in a mixing tank.

“Fan” in this disclosure refers to one or more devices capable of moving air currents at a fixed or variable rate.

“Fertigation system” in this disclosure refers to a system used to inject fertilizers and nutrients, used for soil amendments, water amendments and other water-soluble products into an irrigation system. The fertigation system may also inject water and/or nutrients into plant vessels.

“First pump” in this disclosure refers to a mechanical device using suction or pressure to raise or move liquids.

“Fresh water supply” in this disclosure refers to a source of non-saline water that may be used by plants.

“Grow module” in this disclosure refers to a storage medium for a plurality of growing trays to be extracted and inserted by the fertigation system.

“Grow rack” in this disclosure refers to a physical shelf, containing a plurality of plants in plant vessels. The grow rack may include means of illumination and temperature control to serve the controlled cultivation of plants.

“Growing tray” in this disclosure refers to a plane of solid material sufficiently rigid in composition, e.g., tempered metal or plastic, to hold a plurality of plant vessels without bending or warping. In some embodiments, the shape of the growing tray is square or rectangular. The growing tray may be configured with cutouts to accommodate tray inserts for holding plant vessels, or to accommodate rigid plant vessels not needing rigid tray insert supports.

“Light tray” in this disclosure refers to a tray that is secured to a grow rack and is typically not removed. The light tray may include at least one lighting array with a connector to connect to power and control signals. In one embodiment, a fixed tray may be used to provide lighting, the fixed tray comprising a lighting array, at least one fan, at least one sensor, and at least one power supply.

“Lighting array” in this disclosure refers to illumination facilitate plant growth, including but not limited to LEDs or other lighting encompassing a sufficiently wide range of wavelengths to emulate sunlight.

“Machine-readable identification” in this disclosure refers to a graphic or visible identifier able to be interpreted without human interaction. Exemplary machine-readable identification includes radio frequency identifier (RFID) or near field communication (NFC) devices, barcodes and quick response codes.

“Manifold header” in this disclosure refers to a solid, non-permeable casing separating and protecting a manifold chamber from the multiple openings with which is associated. In a fertigation system.

“Mixing tank” in this disclosure refers to a container designed to combine at least two substances, one of said substances typically liquid. In a fertigation system, a mixing tank may combine a fresh water supply and nutrient supply in precisely calculated amounts designed for the fertigation of plants.

“Nozzle” in this disclosure refers to a cylindrical or round aperture at the end of a pipe, hose, or tube used to control a jet of a gas or a liquid. In a fertigation system, at least one nozzle may be configured at a nozzle manifold and used to control/inject water and/or nutrients and pressurized air into plant vessels.

“Nozzle manifold” in this disclosure refers to a device or chamber capable of delivering liquid and/or gas substances, and branching into at least one nozzle.

“Nutrient supply” in this disclosure refers to fertilizers, nutrient additives, mineral supplements, beneficial commensal microorganisms, and the like, to optimize the growth conditions of plants when mixed with water.

“Nutrients” in this disclosure refers to the solid (e.g., non-liquid and non-gaseous) chemical elements, including nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium, essential to the nourishment of plant health.

“Plant” in this disclosure refers to a living organism of the kind exemplified by trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, ferns, and mosses, typically growing in a permanent site, absorbing water and inorganic substances through its roots, and synthesizing nutrients in its leaves by photosynthesis.

“Plant vessel” in this disclosure refers to a container designed to facilitate individual plant growth. The plant vessel may include an outer membrane, an impervious outer vessel, a cover, a substrate, a nutrient chamber, a pervious membrane, and a root zone.

“Pressurized air” in this disclosure refers to a gas, or a combination of gases, put under greater pressure than the air in the general environment. Pressurized air may include air containing a typical mixture of elements found in the atmosphere, as well as highly concentrated oxygen, ozone, or nitrogen, or some specific combination of these elements in desired concentrations differing from atmospheric air.

“Second pump” in this disclosure refers to a mechanical device using suction or pressure to raise or move liquids.

“Seed” in this disclosure refers to a flowering plant's unit of reproduction, capable of developing into another such plant.

“Seedling” in this disclosure refers to a young plant, especially one raised from seed and not from a cutting.

“Sensor” in this disclosure refers to one or more sensing devices able to detect precise measurements of light, temperature, humidity, and/or other conditions of its surrounding environment.

“Shoots of plants” in this disclosure refers to new growth from seed germination that grows upward and where leaves will develop. Shoots may also refer to stems including their appendages, the leaves and lateral buds, flowering stems and flower buds.

“Track” in this disclosure refers to a structure on the fertigation system upon which a growing tray may rest and/or slide.

“Tray elevator” in this disclosure refers to a drive system powered by a motor for the purpose of raising and lowering individually growing trays from a grow module. In one embodiment, the tray elevator may transition growing trays from an upper conveyor to a lower conveyor. In one embodiment, the tray elevator may position a growing tray onto at least one nozzle for each nozzle manifold for fertigation.

“Tray movement system” in this disclosure refers to a variety of components, including but not limited to a motor, a mechanical arm under control of said motor, tracks on which a growing tray slides, and a tray elevator all utilized for the purpose(s) of extracting a growing tray from a grow module and replacing the growing tray in the same position within the grow module when the fertigation process has been completed.

“Water” in this disclosure refers to H₂O. The water may be freshwater, grey (i.e., reclaimed) water, or may include dissolved nutrients and/or minerals.

This disclosure is directed to embodiments of an automated growing facility for plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants.

An efficient method of storing, monitoring, and transporting plants within a plant facility has proven elusive over time. Transporting a plant from one part of the plant facility to another part of the plant facility may necessitate moving the plant from one tray to another, which proved to affect the growth of the plant at different stages. This disclosure relates to an automated growing facility and a process of operating the automated growing facility, in such a manner, that plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants are stored, monitored, and provided with the sufficient amount of water, nutrients, light, and so on, depending on their stage of growth and development. This disclosure enables maximizing the density and utilization of space, such that as the plant grows, dynamic spacing is beneficial to that density by utilizing an automated guided vehicle for transporting the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants from one part of the plant facility to another, rather than moving the plants from one tray to another.

Referring to FIG. 1, an automated growing facility 100 is illustrated. The automated growing facility 100 comprises at least one or more growing chambers 102, grow modules 300, a fertigation station 400 including a fertigation system 600, a light adjust station 104, a cleaning station 106, a fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system 108, a control system 110, a load/unload station 700, load/unload modules 800, and a light adjust station 900, all located at different places within the automated growing facility 100. The one or more growing chambers 102 may include grow modules 300, where the grow modules 300 comprise plant vessels (not shown, but described in more detail with regard to FIG. 3). The grow module 300 is a storage assembly for a plurality of growing trays (see FIG. 3) to contain the plant vessels. The plant vessels may be of a standardized shape to fit into a tray of the grow module 300 for a plant, seed or seedling, and/or shoot of plant to be held in position for water, air, and light delivery. Additionally, the plant vessel may be compostable. The disclosure is not limited to plants, but may be applicable with or without modifications to seed or seedling, and/or shoot of plant.

The grow modules 300 are transported from one place to another within the automated growing facility 100 using an automated guided vehicle (AGV) (not shown), which is discussed in detail below in conjunction with FIG. 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the grow modules 300 are transported from the one or more growing chambers 102 to a fertigation station 400 using the AGV.

At the fertigation station 400, the plants in the plant vessels of the grow modules 300 are fertigated at periodic intervals utilizing a fertigation system 600, which may provide water that has been processed through a fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system 108. The fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system 108 may be a system such as the NutriJet 300 unit or the NutriJet 600 unit. The fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system 108 may provide solid nutrients, such as, but not limited thereto, fertilizers, nutrient additives, mineral supplements, beneficial commensal microorganisms, nanobubbles, and the like, to the fertigation station 400 to optimize the growth conditions of the plants. Additionally, if so desired, the fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system 108 may also provide effective amounts of pesticides, selective herbicides, fungicides, or other chemicals to remove, reduce, or prevent growth of parasites, weeds, pathogens, or any other detrimental organisms. The formulation of nutrient recipes may be adjusted as appropriate for the variety of the plant produced and shipped. Plant vessels of specific arrangements may be included in a removable tray or a collection of said plurality of removable trays in the grow module 300 depending on the number of plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants with similar fertigation needs.

Once the fertigation process is completed at the fertigation station 400, the fertigated grow modules 300 are transported from the fertigation station 400 back to the one or more growing chambers 102 using the AGV. Further, once the plants in the grow modules 300 have matured, the grow modules 300 are transported from the one or more growing chambers 102 to a load/unload station 700 using the AGV. At the load/unload station 700, the plants in the plant vessels of the grow modules 300 are loaded and/or unloaded to/from the grow modules 300 utilizing a load/unload station 700. The load/unload station 700 is a transfer unit for incoming and outgoing plants at the load/unload station 700. The process of loading and/or unloading the plants at the load/unload station 700 is discussed in detail in conjunction with FIG. 7. Once the loading and/or unloading process is complete, the loaded grow modules 300 are transported from the load/unload station 700 back to the one or more growing chambers 102 and the empty grow modules 300 are transported from the load/unload station 700 to a cleaning station 106.

The automated growing facility 100 further comprises a light adjust station 104 and a cleaning station 106. The light adjust station 104 provides appropriate light to the plants in the plant vessels of the grow modules 300. Further, the cleaning station 106 is an isolated chamber for sanitizing or sterilizing the grow modules 300 utilizing, but not limited thereto, ultraviolet light, hydrogen peroxide, and the like, to kill or destroy pathogens in the grow modules 300.

The components of the automated growing facility 100 may be controlled through a central control system 110 in one embodiment. This control system 110 may be configured as electrical panels located safely distant from dirt and moisture contamination. In some embodiments, various controllable elements of the control system 110 may each have individual control systems, or some components may be controlled at one location while others have individual controls. The location and configuration of control systems may be flexible as is well understood in the art.

Fertigation System

Referring to FIG. 2, a fertigation system 200 is illustrated. Embodiments of the system comprise a fresh water supply tank 204, which having drawn water from a water source 202, retains a fresh water supply. Said fresh water supply 206 may feed a mixing tank 212, or a fresh water supply 206 may feed directly to the nozzle manifold 226 through a first pump 220. The mixing tank 212 receives the fresh water supply 206 from the fresh water supply tank 204 and nutrients 210 from a nutrient supply 208. The mixture of fresh water to nutrients, and the type and amount of nutrients, mixed in the mixing tank 212 depends on the type(s) of plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants being supplied with fresh water and the nutrient supply 208 in the fertigation system 200. A nutrient/water mixture 224 from the mixing tank 212 may be fed by a second pump 222 to a day tank 218. The first pump 220 may direct the nutrient/water mixture 224 in the mixing tank 212 to the nozzle manifold 226. The first pump 220 may provide pressure to inject the fresh water supply 206 or nutrient/water mixture 224 into plant vessels within the growing tray 228 for fertigation through at least one nozzle 230 of the nozzle manifold 226.

Fresh Water Supply Tank

“Water” in this disclosure refers to H₂O. The water may be freshwater, grey (i.e., reclaimed) water, or may include dissolved nutrients and/or minerals. “Fresh water supply” in this disclosure refers to a source of non-saline water that may be used by plants. The fresh water supply tank 204 comprises a container well known to those skilled in the art for retaining a fresh water supply for a fertigation system. Its size may be variable, from as small as 8 gallons (30 liters) to many times this capacity, depending on particular system needs—particularly as the source for both the mixing tank 212 and a direct water feed to the nozzle manifold 226. The tank may be typically made from insulated steel or temperature resistant plastic and include connecting piping to the mixing tank 212 and/or nozzle manifold 226 and first pump 220.

Mixing Tank

“Mixing tank” in this disclosure refers to a container designed to combine at least two substances, one of said substances typically liquid. In a fertigation system, a mixing tank may combine a fresh water supply and nutrient supply in precisely calculated amounts designed for the fertigation of plants. The mixing tank 212 comprises a container designed to combine a fresh water supply and nutrient supply in precisely calculated amounts designed for the eventual fertigation of the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in the system. The mixing tank 212, like the fresh water supply tank 204, may be of varying size depending on system need and also includes features such as translucency to ensure proper mixing in addition to supply measurement. Sources to the mixing tank may include the fresh water supply from the fresh water supply tank 204 and nutrients from the nutrient supply 208, each measured and controlled by input and shut-off valves. A drain valve may be included for emptying the tank as needed. The mixing tank may also include an opening for accepting non-liquid additives 214, such as fertilizers or nutrients in the form of a powder.

Nutrient Supply

“Nutrient supply” in this disclosure refers to fertilizers, nutrient additives, mineral supplements, beneficial commensal microorganisms, and the like, to optimize the growth conditions of plants when mixed with water. The nutrient supply 208 including the nutrients may comprise fertilizers, nutrient additives, mineral supplements, beneficial commensal microorganisms, and the like, to optimize the growth conditions of plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants once mixed with water and pumped to the nozzle manifold 226. Additionally, if so desired, the nutrient supply 208 may also comprise effective amounts of pesticides, selective herbicides, fungicides or other chemicals to remove, reduce, or prevent growth of parasites, weeds, pathogens, or any other detrimental organisms. The formulation of nutrient recipes for the nutrient supply 208 may be adjusted as appropriate for the variety of the plant produced and shipped.

Once a suitable nutrient/water mixture 224 created from water from the fresh water supply tank 204 and nutrients or other agents from the nutrients in the nutrient supply 208 is reached, the nutrient/water mixture 224 is pumped by a second pump 222 to a day tank 218. The day tank 218 retains the nutrient/water mixture and, as per its name, feeds the mixture to the nozzle manifold 226 on a daily basis. The water/nutrient mixture in the day tank 218 is pumped to the nozzle manifold 226 by utilizing a first pump 220, so named as the first pump in the fertigation system 200.

First Pump

“First pump” in this disclosure refers to a mechanical device using suction or pressure to raise or move liquids. The first pump 220 may be a standard fluid pump known to those skilled in the art using pressure for transferring liquids between tanks in a fertigation system 200 or from one tank to an outlet source like a nozzle manifold 226 or other container. The first pump 220 may be electric-powered or use an alternate energy source (e.g., natural gas or propane) to create the needed pressure. The first pump 220 may also have a suitable range of pressure (pounds per square inch, PSI) variability, e.g., from 5 to 90 PSI and flow range, e.g., from 10 to 2000 liters/hour to accommodate the flow between the day tank 218 and the nozzle manifold 226. In some embodiments, the first pump is a peristaltic pump.

Second Pump

“Second pump” in this disclosure refers to a mechanical device using suction or pressure to raise or move liquids. The second pump 222 may be a standard fluid pump known to those skilled in the art using pressure for transferring liquids between tanks in a fertigation system 200 or from one tank to an outlet source like a nozzle or other container. The second pump 222 may be electric-powered or use an alternate energy source (e.g., natural gas or propane) to create the needed pressure. The second pump 222 may have a suitable range of pressure (pounds per square inch, PSI) variability, e.g., from 5 to 90 PSI and flow range, e.g., from 10 to 2000 liters/hour to accommodate the flow between the mixing tank 212 and day tank 218. In some embodiments, the second pump is a peristaltic pump.

Day Tank

“Day tank” in this disclosure refers to a non-reactive container for storing fluids to be used on a periodic, e.g., daily basis. For a fertigation system, a day tank may contain a time-limited supply of water and/or nutrients previously mixed in a mixing tank. The day tank 218, as indicated by its name, contains a time-limited supply of fluid for the fertigation system 200. Owing to the changing nature of its fluid supplies, and the customized nature of the delivery of same to the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants, the fertigation system 200 may not store its mixture of water and nutrient supply 208 for longer than a day or so. The means of shutting off the supply from the mixing tank 212 may be an input valve, utilized in synchronized fashion with the second pump 222. The drain valve in the mixing tank 212 may remove excess liquids unneeded by the day tank 218 under particular conditions. Like the fresh water supply tank 204 described above, the day tank 218 may be typically made from insulated steel or temperature resistant plastic, though like the mixing tank 212 it may in one embodiment be translucent to ensure proper mixing and a visual means of measuring supply. It may, like the fresh water supply tank 204 and mixing tank 212, be of varying size depending on system need.

Nozzle Manifold

“Nozzle manifold” in this disclosure refers to a device or chamber capable of delivering liquid and/or gas substances, and branching into at least one nozzle. The nozzle manifold 226 comprises piping or tubing for transporting liquids or pressurized air to an at least one nozzle extending from this component. “Pressurized air” in this disclosure refers to a gas, or a combination of gases, put under greater pressure than the air in the general environment. Pressurized air may include air containing a typical mixture of elements found in the atmosphere, as well as highly concentrated oxygen, ozone, or nitrogen, or some specific combination of these elements in desired concentrations differing from atmospheric air.

In one embodiment the nozzle manifold 226 may be cylindrical in shape with the at least one nozzle extending from the top circular surface through a manifold header. In another embodiment the nozzle manifold 226 may be in the form of an elongated tube with the at least one nozzle extending from the side (e.g., curved portion) of said elongated tube. The nozzle manifold 226 utilizing an at least one nozzle may be in various shapes, configurations, and sizes suitable to puncture plant vessels situated in grow racks extracted from the grow module 300 and placed in the fertigation system 200. The methods by which nozzles fertigate individual plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants with fresh water and nutrients are discussed in detail later in this disclosure.

Fertigation Station

A fertigation station 216 may be a location where plants undergo fertigation through the action of the components described above. In one embodiment, the fertigation station 216 may comprise the day tank 218, the first pump 220, the second pump 222, and the nozzle manifold 226. Grow modules 300 may be brought to the fertigation station 216, and their growing trays 228 removed so that plants in the growing tray 228 may be fertigated. This process is described in greater detail in subsequent sections.

Grow Module

As described above, the one or more growing chambers 102 may comprise grow modules 300. A grow module 300 is a storage assembly for a plurality of growing trays to be extracted and inserted at the fertigation station 400 via a tray movement system (not shown). The grow module 300 may be made of any metal, plastic, or other solid material of sufficient strength to hold the requisite number of growing trays and withstand repeated interaction with the tray movement system. In one embodiment, the grow module 300 includes protruding shelves from its vertically oriented sides for the purpose of holding a plurality of growing trays and/or growing racks within a grow rack (not shown). In one embodiment, the grow module 300 contains non-removable fixed trays (not shown) at pre-determined vertical locations within the grow module 300 and containing lighting and at least one power supply for said lighting and other electrical components. The lighting, in this case, may be provided by any suitable type of light source capable of producing a desired light spectrum and intensity to facilitate plant growth, examples of which include light emitting diodes (LEDs) and fluorescent, but are not limited thereto. The grow module 300 may also include a source of air (i.e., air flow) for the plants growing in the growing racks through at least one fan fixed to the back of the grow module 300 and powered by at least one power supply in the aforementioned fixed trays (not shown). In one embodiment, the operation of at least one fan may vary according to their location, e.g., air may be supplied to a subset of the plants in growing trays within the grow module 300. In one embodiment, the grow module 300 may also include at least one sensor (not shown) to measure the characteristics of the environment, such as, but not limited thereto, temperature, humidity, air flow, carbon dioxide concentration, and so on.

Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary grow module 300 is illustrated. As described above, the grow module 300 comprises a plurality of growing trays 306, each growing tray holding a plurality of plant vessels 308 containing plants 310, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in various stages of growth and development. The grow module 300 may contain a variable number of light trays 304, configured according to the fertigation needs of the individual plants 310, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants, each plant vessel 308 contained within the light tray 304 in each grow rack. In one embodiment, the grow module 300 comprises a grow rack including the plurality of plant vessels 308 and a grow module base 302 as the exterior encasement of the grow module 300. A growing rack within each grow module 300 comprises both a growing tray 306 and a fixed tray (not shown) forming a pair of shelves attached within the grow module 300. Growing trays 306, light trays 304, and fixed trays may be secured within the grow module 300 with tray support and securement features 314. Plant vessels of specific arrangements may be included in a growing tray 306 or a collection of said growing trays depending on the number of plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants with similar fertigation needs. The number and type of plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in the plant vessels in the grow racks may be configured according to their collective fertigation needs, that is the lighting, air, and liquids needed for effective germination and growth.

In one embodiment, the number of growing tray 306 in the grow module 300 may also vary according to the growth stage of the various plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in the growing trays 306 within the grow module 300. Plants at various stages of growth—from germination to finished plant—need differing amounts of vertical space for the plants as they grow between their respective plant vessels and a light source affixed to the fixed trays. In one embodiment, the vertical spacing for individual plants within the grow module 300, e.g., how far below a fixed tray each growing tray 306 may be located to accommodate plant growth, may be determined by a control system (not shown). In some embodiments, the grow module 300 may have rails at different heights, configured to receive a growing tray 306, thereby allowing the vertical spacing to be adjusted by simply sliding the growing tray 306 into a different set of rails under the fixed tray in the grow module 300. In one embodiment, the grow module 300 may comprise, but not limited thereto, twelve growing trays split into three grow stages, i.e., germination stage, nursery stage, and finishing stage. The first grow stage, i.e., germination stage, may allow the growing tray 306 to be closely spaced in order to have little or no vertical space between lighting and the plant. The second grow stage, i.e., nursery stage, may need the growing trays 306 to be spaced wider vertically as opposed to the growing trays 306 of the first grow stage to accommodate the plant as it grows. Finally, the third grow stage, i.e., finishing stage, may need the growing trays 306 to be spaced even wider vertically to accommodate the exponential physical growth of the plant. In one embodiment, the grow module 3000 may comprise, but not limited thereto, eighteen growing trays with graduated spacing.

Grow Rack

The apparatus encompassing each grow module 300 may comprise a grow rack, generally described as an outer frame into which the other components of the grow module 300, as described above, are configured. Said components may comprise light trays or fixed trays (not shown) including at least one fan, at least one power supply, and light source for lighting, a grow module base 302, and a variable number of growing trays 306 containing a plurality of plant vessels including plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in varying stages of growth and development. The grow rack may be made of any material of sufficient strength to hold the requisite number of growing trays 306 additionally holding a plurality of plant vessels and the requisite number of light trays 304, or, alternately, fixed trays holding light source, at least one fan, and at least one power supply, e.g., reinforced plastic, metal, 3D printed material, and so on. The grow rack may also be able to be molded into a skeletal frame for air circulation and light spacing from the previously mentioned at least one fan and light source, respectively.

Grow Module Base

The grow module base 302 comprises a physical support onto which the grow module 300 may rest, or upon which the grow rack may rest when removed from a larger collection of grow modules. The grow module base 302 serves, in part, the functions of supporting and stabilizing the grow module 300 comprising the plurality of light trays 304 and growing trays 306 as the grow module 300 is transported from the one or more growing chambers, as described above with conjunction with FIG. 1 to the fertigation station and as individual growing trays 306 are extracted from the grow module 300 and moved by a tray movement system to the fertigation station. The grow module base 302 may be made of any non-reactive material of sufficient strength to support a single grow module 300, e.g., molded metal(s) or plastic, when said grow module 300 contains the highest allowable number of growing trays 306, i.e., fixed trays including at least one fan, at least one sensor, at least one power supply, and light source, and light trays 304 with a plurality of plant vessels containing plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants. In some embodiments, the grow module base 302 may be incorporated into the grow rack. If the grow module base 302 is incorporated into the grow rack, it may be optionally removable.

Growing Tray

A growing tray 306 may comprise a square or rectangular plane of solid material sufficiently rigid in composition, e.g., tempered metal or plastic, to hold a plurality of plant vessels without bending or warping. The growing tray 306 additionally may be comprised of a material able to be die cut, molded, machined, or similar, in a specific pattern so that a plurality of plant vessels may be both inserted vertically into the tray and slid horizontally to lock into place in precisely aligned rows and columns. In one embodiment, the growing tray 306 may also include a die cut notch, latch, or other physical indentation by which a Tray movement system may be assisted in extracting, raising/lowering, and/or replacing the light tray 304 to and from the grow module 300. In one embodiment, the growing tray 306 may comprise a plurality of tray cutouts allowing a plurality of rigid tray inserts to be installed within the growing tray 306. The tray inserts may be configured to house non-rigid plant vessels.

Fixed Tray

A fixed tray (not shown) comprises a rectangular shelf, attached to a grow rack with attachments, such as, a nut/bolt, weld, and/or adhesives. The fixed tray may be made of non-reactive material (e.g., metal or reinforced plastic) of sufficient strength and thickness (e.g., ¼-½ inch) to hold several affixed components, including but not limited to, at least one fan, at least one sensor, light source, and at least one power supply with a sufficient number of conduits to attach at least one power supply to the other components. In one embodiment, at least one power supply may be a self-contained battery. In another embodiment, at least one power supply may be connected to a power source external to the grow module 300 in which the fixed tray resides. To accommodate the attachment of components and allow air and other elements to circulate between multiple fixed trays and growing trays 306 within the grow module 300, the fixed tray may include internal or external cross-supports or be in a mesh-like or cross-hatch pattern.

Lighting Array

In one embodiment, a light tray 304 may be used in place of the fixed tray previously described. The light tray 304 may provide lighting arrays comprising light emitting diode (LED) patterns controlled as lighting channels to provide a flexible lighting strategy throughout the growth cycle of seeds, seedlings, shoots, and plants. The light trays 304 may be adjustable within the grow module 300, such that they may be positioned just above growing plant material throughout plant growth stages, as plants sprout and mature within the plant vessels of the growing trays 306. Light trays 304 may come in multiple versions, presenting different configurations lighting arrays having different LED patterns, controlled through different lighting channels, so that light may be provided flexibly depending on plant growth stage and species.

Tray Module

A tray module within each grow module 300 may comprise both a growing tray 306 and a fixed tray or light tray 304, forming a pair of shelves attached within the grow module 300, or attached to the grow rack. In one embodiment, the grow module 300 may comprise a plurality of tray modules, as multiple light trays 304 and growing trays 306 may be included in a single grow module 300 in a vertically stacked configuration. In one embodiment, each growing tray 306 comprises a plurality of plant vessels containing plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants and a light tray 304 or a fixed tray including at least one fan, at least one sensor, at least one power supply, and light source. The light source and at least one sensor may be positioned on the fixed tray directly above, on the sides of, or in between, the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in the plant vessels positioned in the growing tray 306. The tray module may be made of materials comprising those of the light tray 304 and the growing tray 306, i.e., a solid material sufficiently rigid in composition, e.g., tempered metal or plastic, to hold a plurality of plant vessels without bending or warping for the former, and for the latter, a solid material sufficiently rigid in composition to hold the above named components of the fixed tray and be attached to the grow rack or within the grow module 300 by any means, including but not limited to, bolting, soldering, etc. In some embodiments, the fixed tray may be removed from the grow rack to facilitate servicing any attached items, such as the at least one fan, at least one sensor, at least one power supply, and light source.

Light Source

In one embodiment, the grow module 300 contains non-removable fixed trays at pre-determined vertical locations within the grow module 300 and containing lighting and at least one power supply for said lighting and other electrical components. The lighting, in this case, may be provided by any suitable type of light source capable of producing a desired light spectrum and intensity to facilitate plant growth, examples of which include LED and fluorescent, but are not limited thereto. The light source may be affixed to the fixed tray within the grow rack and may be calibrated to facilitate plant growth for the specific plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants directly beneath the fixed tray. Said calibration may include the range of light spectrum, strength (e.g., lumens per area or photosynthetic photon flux density) and light type (e.g., LED or incandescent). In another embodiment, light may be provided by a light tray 304 adjustably positioned within the grow module 300 above each growing tray 306.

At Least One Fan

In an embodiment, at least one fan may be affixed to the fixed tray for the purposes of circulating air or other gases amongst the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in plant vessels in growing trays 306 within the grow module 300. Air movement allows plants to dispense water vapor for optimum growth and production. Moving the air to create a gaseous current may encourage this evaporation process, regardless of temperature and humidity. Moving air may also assist in the distribution of carbon dioxide in the localized environment to support plant growth. In one embodiment, at least one fan may be calibrated to accomplish this task for plants of varying sizes and growth rates. At least one fan may be made of a non-reactive material (e.g., plastic or metal) and of a design providing air current(s) within a confined space, e.g., multi-bladed, powered by a 2-8 watt engine and encased in an cage enclosure for safety. In one embodiment, at least one fan may be embedded in the back wall of the grow module 300, e.g., detached from the fixed tray. In another embodiment, the at least one fan may be configured within a ventilation system 312 on the back side of the grow module 300.

At Least One Power Supply

In an embodiment, at least one power supply may be affixed to the light tray 304 or the fixed tray for the purpose of providing electrical power to attendant components also affixed to the fixed tray, i.e., light source, at least one fan, and at least one sensor. At least one power supply and its attendant wiring through encased conduits may be powered by external electrical sources or internal power (e.g., nickel/cadmium or similar batteries). Depending on the electrical needs of the various powered components, not least the number of supported fixed trays, a ˜240V alternating current (AC) or ˜24V direct current (DC) power supply may be adequate in some embodiments.

At Least One Sensor

In an embodiment, at least one sensor may be a light sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, carbon dioxide, or some combination of the four depending on the needs of plants in the grow module 300 at a particular time. The type of sensor is not limited thereto. All types of sensors for detecting said conditions in a plant growing environment as described herein may be used. At least one sensor measuring light may be a commercially available, the light sensor drawing ˜24V in some embodiments and measuring both photosynthetic photon flux density and light wavelengths to ensure proper lighting for the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants lit by the light source. In one embodiment, at least one sensor measuring light may be located on the grow rack within the grow module 300. At least one sensor measuring temperature may be located in multiple locations within the grow module 300 and comprise a Type K thermocouple with a lead wire transition probe, 6-inch insertion length, ⅛ inch probe diameter, stainless steel sheath, and 6 foot 20 American wire gauge (AWG) wire leads or similar. At least one sensor measuring humidity may be located in multiple locations within the grow module 300, draw ˜5V and include the ability to measure the full range (1-99%) of air humidity via use of a psychrometer, Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor, or similar, e.g., comparing the readings of a pair of thermometers, one with a bulb open to the air; the other has a bulb covered in a wet cloth or similar substance. In one embodiment, at least one sensor measuring both temperature and humidity may be co-located in a single device. At least one sensor measuring carbon dioxide may be located in multiple locations within the grow module.

The grow module 300 described in FIG. 3 comprising the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in the plant vessels are transported from the one or more growing chambers, as described above in conjunction with FIG. 1 to a fertigation station for fertigating the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants.

Fertigation Station

Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary fertigation station 400 is illustrated, similar to fertigation station 400 of FIG. 1, that is used for fertigating the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in the plant vessels of the grow modules based on the stage of growth of the plants. As described above, the grow modules are transported from one or more growing chambers to the fertigation station 400 for fertigating the plant vessels at periodic intervals utilizing the fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system 108 of FIG. 1. The fertigation station 400 includes a tray movement system 500 for extracting a growing tray from the grow module, a tray elevator 402 for lowering and raising the growing tray, and a fertigation system 600. In one embodiment, the fertigation station 400 may include a fertigation gantry lift 406 from where the growing tray is loaded onto an upper conveyor 404 of the fertigation station 400 via the tray movement system 500. Once the growing tray is loaded onto the upper conveyor 404 of the fertigation station 400, the growing tray is then monitored by at least one camera (not shown) of a camera tunnel 408. The growing tray is then transferred from the upper conveyor 404 to a lower conveyor 410 on the tray elevator 402. From the tray elevator 402, the growing tray is raised or lowered into its vertical position and slid horizontally into a precise position in a fertigation system 600 that includes a vessel clamping system and a fertigation system (not shown) for fertigating the plant vessels to deliver appropriate amount of water, nutrients, and elemental needs of the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants. Once the fertigation process is completed, the growing tray is restored to a vertical position in which it was originally extracted or a different position and the growing tray is raised by the tray elevator 402 and replaced in its original position in the grow module by the tray movement system 500. The process continues for every growing tray in the grow module in need of fertigation.

Tray Elevator

The tray elevator 402 comprises a drive system powered by a motor for the purpose of raising and lowering, one at a time, growing trays from a grow module onto the fertigation station 400 for fertigation. The tray elevator 402 utilizes a drive mechanism to move the growing tray vertically as described, said drive mechanism being of any type such as, but not limited to, a belt drive, a chain drive, a direct drive, etc. The motor, under control of a control system (not shown), may power the drive mechanism to pull the growing tray to its proper vertical position.

Camera Tunnel

As shown, a camera tunnel 408 is provided on the upper conveyor 404 for monitoring the growing tray loaded onto the upper conveyor 404. Plants being fertigated in the fertigation station 400 may need monitoring as to their growth progress (or lack thereof). Visual inspection and/or collection of still or video imaging evidence may prove difficult when the plants and/or shoots of plants remain in their respective plant vessels and grow racks inside the grow module, particularly when the plants have reached sufficient size, e.g., inspecting and/or imaging sizable plants near the back of the grow module may not be possible. In some embodiments, at least one camera, therefore, may be installed at selected locations around the fertigation station 400 to record visual evidence of plant growth on the basis of individual plants or a collection of plants in plant vessels in a growing rack within the growing tray. Further, the camera may be any device that is capable of capturing, recording, and transferring still and/or video images under control of camera configuration parameters (e.g., shutter speed, resolution, and so on). Said camera may be configured to record images both at the discretion of an operator of the fertigation station 400 or on an automated schedule, the latter of which may be set on said camera itself by said operator. Furthermore, additional cameras may be positioned in other locations on or near the fertigation station 400 to capture alternate views of the plants within the plant vessels that have been placed at the fertigation station. The device specifications of said additional cameras may be the same as that described above for at least one camera, or different—in terms of image capturing configuration (e.g., shutter speed, resolution, and so on), image capturing schedule (manual or automated control)—as determined by plant growth requirements.

Tray Movement System

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B illustrate a tray movement system 500 in one embodiment.

The tray movement system 500 comprises various components for the purpose(s) of both extracting a growing tray from the grow module and replacing the grow module in the same position, or alternatively in a different position, within the grow module when the fertigation process has been completed for all the plant vessels in the growing tray. The tray movement system 500 may place trays back into the grow module in the same orientation they were removed or spun 180 degrees. The tray movement system 500 may also place trays back into the same grow module or into a new grow module. There are numerous reasons trays may move to a new grow module, such as, preventive maintenance, repairs, cleaning/sterilization, or inspection of existing grow module. The tray movement system 500 may also remove and place trays into a load/unload module for delivery to pre/post growing operations. The tray movement system 500 may comprise components known to those skilled in the art for moving a tray holding fragile objects in a horizontal direction under machine-driven or manual power: at least one track on which the growing tray slides on once removed from the grow module, a growing tray gripper or end of arm tooling (EOAT) extending from the apparatus—in this case the fertigation station 400—to temporarily latch onto the growing tray, pull it onto the apparatus, and release it at the appropriate position, a tray elevator 402 to raise or lower the growing tray into its vertical position, a motor (under electrical or equivalent power) to spin a belt or similar drive to extend/contract the EOAT and power the tray elevator 402, and the tracks, EOAT, tray elevator, and motor to perform this operation in reverse to return the growing tray to its position within the grow module.

In an embodiment, the EOAT may include a magnetic connection or a latch to attach to the growing tray. The EOAT may be designed to accommodate an inaccurately placed grow module. This may be achieved by the following elements, as is well understood in the art of robotic object capture and transfer. Trays may be designed with lead in on all 4 corners. A tray hook that has a pulling surface that may slide left and right within a tray handle may be utilized. The arm may be configured with a tray hook that has a wide pushing surface to guide the trays while pushing. A tray handle may be configured with a pushing surface or a pulling surface for the tray hook. EOAT guide rails may be non-restrictive, and may be either spring loaded or pneumatically actuated as needed.

In an embodiment the growing tray 306 may also be lifted slightly (e.g., less than one inch) off the shelving in the grow module 300 by the arm 504 of the tray movement system 500 before being extracted. In this embodiment, slide tracks within the grow module 300 may not be needed. Short legs may be extended under the growing tray 306 (e.g., at the four corners). Said legs may be removable/adjustable for different size pots/plants.

FIG. 5B illustrates in more detail one embodiment of a tray movement system 500. The tray movement system 500 comprises tracks 502, an arm 504, and a tray attachment feature 506 that in one embodiment may comprise end of arm tooling (EOAT) 508.

Fertigation System

Referring to FIG. 6, an exemplary fertigation system 600 is illustrated. The fertigation system 600 includes a vessel clamping system 602, injection system 604, and fertigation injection needles 606 for fertigating the plant vessels to deliver appropriate amount of water, nutrients, and elemental needs of the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants. The fertigation system 600 provides a suitable mixture of water and nutrients from the fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system 108 of FIG. 1 to the plant vessels of the growing tray depending on the needs of the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants. The vessel clamping system 602 is configured to clamp the plant vessels of the growing tray securely in place during fertigation. The injection system 604 may actuate fertigation injection needles 606, injection ports, or similar, into the plant vessels. The fertigation injection needles 606 are configured to inject the suitable mixture of water and nutrients through the needles actuated into the plant vessels.

The fertigation system 600 is configured to inject appropriate amount of water and nutrient supply into the bottom of the plant vessels on the growing tray through fertigation injection needles 606. The fertigation system 600 may also have a suitable range of pressure (pounds per square inch, PSI) variability, e.g., from 5 to 90 PSI and flow range, e.g., from 10 to 2000 liters/hour to accommodate the flow between the fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system 108 of FIG. 1 and the fertigation injection needles 606. In one embodiment, the fertigation system 600 may also inject pressurized air within the plant vessel, as indicated by the oxygen or other gaseous needs of individual plants and/or shoots of plants. In yet another embodiment, the fertigation system 600 is configured to inject a suitable amount of mixture of water and nutrient supply within a fraction of seconds, for example, but not limited thereto, 15 seconds.

Once the fertigation process is completed, the fertigated grow modules are transported from the fertigation station back to the one or more growing chambers. Further, as described above, with reference to FIG. 1, once the plants have reached their Finishing Stage and have matured, the grow modules are transported from the one or more growing chambers to a load/unload station.

Load/Unload Station

Referring to FIG. 7, an exemplary load/unload station 700, similar to load/unload station 700 of FIG. 1, is illustrated. The plant vessels are loaded and/or unloaded to/from the grow modules at the load/unload station 700. The load/unload station 700 includes a load/unload module 800, a load/unload gantry lift 702 including a load/unload movement system 704, a load/unload conveyor 706, a load/unload tray elevator 708, and a load/unload process module 710. In one embodiment, the plants from the plant vessels in the grow module that have matured are unloaded or transferred in the load/unload module 800, which may be positioned appropriately with respect to the load/unload station 700, as indicated by the arrow in this figure or as illustrated in FIG. 1, using a grow module transport device 1000, or through other modes of transport. The load/unload module 800 is similar to the grow module 300, as described above, in conjunction with FIG. 3. The load/unload module 800 encompasses a load/unload grow module (not shown) and may be made of any material of sufficient strength to hold the requisite number of trays additionally holding a plurality of plant vessels. The load/unload module 800 may also be able to be molded into a skeletal frame for air circulation and light spacing.

Further, from the load/unload module 800, trays are transferred onto the load/unload conveyor 706 of the load/unload station 700 via the load/unload movement system 704 of the load/unload gantry lift 702. The load/unload conveyor 706 and load/unload tray elevator 708 may transfer trays for handling, and the mature plants are unloaded from the plant vessels in the trays to be packaged and ready to transport. The empty plant vessels are loaded back onto the trays of the load/unload module 800, and from the load/unload module 800 to the grow modules.

In one embodiment, the individual plant vessels comprising seeds or seedlings are loaded at the load/unload station 700 into trays of the load/unload grow module, and from the load/unload grow module to the growing trays of the grow module. The loaded grow modules are taken for initial fertigation at the fertigation station 400 of FIG. 1 and eventually to the one or more growing chambers 102.

In yet another embodiment, the load/unload process module 710 of the load/unload station 700 is an automated module that loads the plant vessels into the growing trays, loads the growing trays into the load/unload grow modules, unloads the growing trays from the grow modules, and unloads the plant vessels from the growing trays. Finally, the loaded grow modules are transported from the load/unload station 700 back to the one or more growing chambers and the empty grow modules are transported from the load/unload station 700 to the cleaning station 106 of FIG. 1 for sanitizing or sterilizing the grow modules.

Load/Unload Module

As described above, the load/unload module 800 encompasses a load/unload module. An exemplary load/unload module 800 is illustrated in FIG. 8. The load/unload module 800 is a transfer unit for incoming and outgoing plants at the load/unload station. The load/unload module 800 is similar to the grow module 300, as described above, in conjunction with FIG. 3, with some exceptions. The load/unload module 800 may be made of any metal, plastic, or other solid material of sufficient strength to hold the requisite number of growing trays 802 In one embodiment, the load/unload module 800 includes protruding shelves from the sides of its vertically oriented sides for the purpose of holding a plurality of growing trays 802 within a load/unload module 800. In one embodiment, the load/unload module 800 comprises eight trays, but not limited thereto, for holding the mature plants transported from the fertigation station and delivering these mature plants for packaging.

Light Adjust Station

Referring to FIG. 9, an exemplary light adjust station 900 is illustrated. The optional light adjust station 900, as also described above in conjunction with FIG. 1, allows to, for example, daily, or twice, or multiple times in a day, incrementally increase light distance from plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants in a tighter margin, more dynamically, and more frequently. When a grow module is transported to the light adjust station 900, the light adjust station 900 adjusts the lighting position provided in the grow module. The lighting, as described above, may be provided by any suitable type of light source capable of producing a desired light spectrum and intensity to facilitate plant growth, examples of which include light emitting diodes (LED) and fluorescent, but are not limited thereto. The light adjust station 900 adjusts the vertical height of the light source to provide appropriate light to the plant, at each tray level in the grow module.

As shown, the light adjust station 900 comprises a gantry 902 with four drivers 904 connected thereto. Once the AGV, as described above, moves the grow module at the light adjust station 900 and under the direction of a control system, the light adjust station 900 adjusts the vertical height of the lighting from the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants at each tray level in the grow module, thereby enabling no surplus space between lighting and the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or the shoots of plants besides that what is needed for adequate airflow and light intensity.

As plants age, they increase in height. In a static or fixed relationship to the light source, the plant tissue may grow closer to the light source. If the plant tissue approaches too close to the light source, a number of deleterious affects from the light may be sustained. The thermal energy of the light source may burn the plant tissue. To high an “intensity” of light energy (not heat) due to proximity may impair the proper growth of the plant and may also burn the plant tissue. The “active” air-flow designed to move heat and moisture away from the plant may be impaired. An optimal distance between light source and plant tissue may vary as the plant grows in height and density. Therefore, if a growing system is to reach optimal “spatial efficiency” (density of plants per cubic area) the vertical space between light source and plant tissue may need to be dynamic.

As the plant grows, so the vertical distance between light source and plant tissue may also need to expand. The increment of change to this vertical distance may be unlimited. Such as in a time-lapse video of plant growth, the dynamic change of this vertical distance may be constant. In a more practical application, this vertical distance may be changed daily. Therefore, on any given day of a plants exponential growth cycle, grow modules (including multiple vertically-arranged trays of plants) may be presented to the “light adjust station.” With the operating system knowing the variety of plant, and age of plant in each tray location, the system may adjust the vertical height of lighting or of a grow tray to increase the vertical space between the light source and the plant tissue according to light levels desired for the specific plant. For example, on day one, a seed may be given a ½″ buffer, so that the lights are placed ½″ from the seed. On day five, for a plant having a height of ½″ and a buffer of ½″, lights may be placed 1″ from the grow surface, ½″ from the plant tissue. On day ten, a plant of height 1.5″ may be given a buffer ½″, so that lights are placed at 2″ from grow surface, ½″ from plant tissue, and so on. In this example, in combination, the operating system and the light adjust station may maintain a buffer of ½″ between light source and plant tissue.

Adjustments may be made on a daily basis and may accommodate the exponential growth of many varieties, based upon plant growth detected and expectations, as is well understood in the art. Mechanically, the above process may be executed by the grow module being diverted to a “light adjust station” where a servo may engage with tray adjustment threaded rods to achieve ideal vertical spacing on a daily basis.

Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV)

Referring to FIG. 10, an exemplary grow module transport device 1000 is illustrated. The grow module transport device 1000 may be an automated guided vehicle (AGV) 1002, and may transport grow modules from one part of the automated growing facility to another under the instructions of a control system (not shown). In some embodiments, the grow module transport device 1000 moves the grow modules to and from one or more growing chambers to a fertigation station for fertigating the plants, seeds or seedlings, and/or shoots of plants, and moves the load/unload grow modules to and from the load/unload station. As an example, the grow module transport device 1000, under the instructions of the control system, is placed beneath the grow base of the grow module, such that the grow module transport device 1000 transports the grow module placed above the grow module transport device 1000 to different parts of the automated growing facility.

The AGV may be both a lifting and transport system. All aspects of the growing system, including but not limited to: AGV, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC), fertigation station, lighting, horizontal air-flow, hydration, nutrient composition, carbon dioxide, ozone, oxygen, etc., may be controlled. At any given time, the control system managing these aspects may know the layout and contents of a chamber, the number of modules in that chamber, the location of each module within the chamber, the number of trays within each module, the variety of plants on each tray, the age of each plant within each tray, and the ideal care instructions for each plant within a tray. This inventory of plants (variety, age, location, daily instruction, etc.) may be contained within the control system and may be indexed using quick response (QR) codes on an individual tray level in one embodiment. By scanning the QR code of each module, and each tray, optimal care data/instruction may be retrieved from the control system and executed by the equipment/system, including how often the AGV needs to fetch a module, to fertigate (feed and irrigate), photograph, adjust lighting verticality, load and unload, package, etc.

Tray level QR codes may be referenced during the removal of trays for fertigation. Module level QR codes may be referenced during transport and may be scanned at various locations to maintain accurate inventory and location of modules, i.e., when presented to the fertigation stations, when presented to the light adjust station, when passing into or out of a chamber, when being harvested or being populated with seeds (load/unload station), when presented to the sterilization chamber, etc. Thus, the plant is a fraction of the tray, the tray is a fraction of the module, the module is a fraction of the chamber, the chamber is a fraction of the facility. The transport of “plants” throughout all areas and phases of a facility may be tracked by QR codes on various hierarchies of the facility/system. QR codes may also be placed along the floor of the facility and scanned by the AGVs to indicate positional data as they move to provide location references to their internal guidance systems. In one embodiment, trays may have radio frequency identification (RFID) tags affixed, instead of utilizing QR codes. RFID tags may also be used on grow modules, but not on trays. Memory data tracking may be used for trays along with RFID tracking in one embodiment.

The grow chamber as used in this description may be an enclosed area including an environmental regulation system capable of adjusting the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels. It may be managed through the control system described below. The enclosed area may be the entire facility or a portion of the facility. In one embodiment, cooler wall panels with specific insulating properties may be used to isolate a portion of the facility, an HVAC system may be used to regulate the temperature and humidity and inject carbon dioxide from storage tanks internal to the HVAC, and controllable roll-up Albany style doors may be used as an interface to the chamber to allow AGVs to enter and leave with grow modules.

Referring to FIG. 11, an exemplary control system 1100 is illustrated. To provide a means to control at least the electrical or other means to send power to a motor to various fertigation system components, the control system 1100 is disclosed. The control system 1100 comprises a panel with electrical wiring and switches, typically contained within a secured metal enclosure or other container for shielding electrical wiring, switches and similar components for passing electrical power to other components such as drive mechanisms, pumps, and so forth, such as may be included in a stand alone cabinet, as indicated by control system 1102. In one embodiment, the control system 1100 may comprise panels with electrical wiring and switches in multiple locations, including but not limited to, the grow module 300, as indicated by control system 1104, the fertigation station, as indicated by control system 1106, the load/unload station (not pictured), and the AGV (not pictured), for purposes of efficiency and balancing of electrical load between power usage specific to the grow module 300 (e.g., for lighting, fans, and so forth as previously discussed), the fertigation station, the load/unload station, and the AGV. The control system 1100 may additionally be configured manually by an operator or by automated or manual means under control of software able to send and receive commands to and from the control system 1100. Any means may be used for passing said commands to/from an electrical control system 1100 (e.g., containing a power source and electrical wiring and switches) as presently described.

Control System

In one embodiment, the control system may synchronize and optimize all aspects of the environment across the automated growing facility. This may be accomplished to meet plant needs with precision for optimal plant experience, growth, and harvest yield. The control system may receive sensor inputs indicating temperature, airflow, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and other ambient or environmental variables in the growing chambers or other parts of the automated growing facility. The control system may adjust HVAC operation in order to counter, maintain, or enhance conditions indicated by sensor inputs.

In one embodiment, the control system may instruct the grow module transport devices to locate specific modules based on their machine-readable identification applied to each grow module. “Machine-readable identification” in this disclosure refers to a graphic or visible identifier able to be interpreted without human interaction. Exemplary machine-readable identification includes radio frequency identifier (RFID) or near field communication (NFC) devices, barcodes and quick response codes. The control system may also provide the grow module transport devices with the grow module's known location, known time elapsed since plants in a grow module were last fertigated, or other parameters. The control system may thus instruct a grow module transport device to find specific grow modules and transport them to appropriate stations based on algorithms or protocols determined for facility operation, and based on known locations of stations throughout the facility.

In one embodiment, the control system may receive information on the type of plants intended to be fertigated, the phase of growth plants within a grow module have reached, based on time elapsed since planting, images captured of the plants, or other data. Based on this data, a nutrient input system may distribute desired levels of desired nutrients into the mixing tank. The control system may control an amount of fresh water mixed with the nutrients, a duration of mixing, and the addition of other elements. The control system may instruct a pump to move the nutrient/water mixture from the mixing tank to a day tank or a tank for immediate use at the fertigation station. Based on machine-readable identification for a grow module brought to the fertigation station, as well as machine-readable identification for growing trays pulled from the grow module for fertigation, the control system may control the timing, speed, and duration of operation for a pump delivering the nutrient/water mixture to the nozzle manifold.

In one embodiment, the control system may control the operation of the fertigation gantry lift, the tray movement system, the upper conveyor and lower conveyor, the camera tunnel or imaging station (having at least one camera) and the tray elevator of the fertigation station. In this manner, based on weight or location sensors in one embodiment, the control system may control the movement of growing trays as they are removed from the grow module, placed on the conveyors, imaged, fertigated, and returned to the grow module. The control system may read a machine-readable identification provided on the growing tray, as well as imaging data captured by the at least one camera, to determine the motion, speeds, durations, etc., for which each growing tray may be handled with optimal consideration for the needs of the seeds, seedlings, shoots of plants, or plants disposed within that growing tray. As indicated by the weight of plant vessels or other considerations, the control system may instruct a vessel clamping system operating in concert with the injection system such that plant vessels are secured and will not dislodged from or disrupted within their growing tray during fertigation.

In one embodiment, the control system may receive input from sensors within the grow module, indicating temperature, humidity, airflow, or other conditions within the grow module. Based these inputs, in conjunction with known time elapsed since planting, imaging data for plants within the growing trays of the grow module, and/or other parameters, the control system may control a ventilation system to provide airflow across the growing trays of a grow module, as well as lighting channels powering LED patterns in the lighting arrays of the light trays within the grow module. In this manner and as previously described, conditions experienced by seeds, seedlings, shoots of plants, and plants within the automated growing facility, such as temperature, humidity, airflow, carbon dioxide levels, water, nutrients, light intensity, wavelength, and exposure, and more, may be controlled across the facility and down to a tray-by-tray or plant-by-plant granularity by the automated growing facility's control system.

FIG. 12 illustrates a routine 1200 for operating an automated growing facility, in accordance with one embodiment. The routine 1200 may be performed by the automated growing facility 100 disclosed herein, and may be managed by the disclosed control system 1100.

Routine 1200 begins in block 1202 with transporting grow modules such as those described with respect to FIG. 3 from a growing chamber to a fertigation station as shown in FIG. 1 using at least one grow module transport device configured to transport the grow modules. The grow module transport device may be one such as that illustrated in FIG. 10.

In block 1204, plant vessels residing in growing trays held by the grow module may be fertigated at the fertigation station. The plant vessels and growing trays may be such as are described with respect to FIG. 3. The fertigation station may operate as described with respect to FIG. 4, acting in conjunction with the fertigation system described with respect to FIG. 6.

In block 1206, the grow modules containing fertigated plant vessels may be transported back to the growing chamber using the at least one grow module transport device.

In one embodiment, routine 1200 may further include the grow module transport device transporting the grow modules to or from a load/unload station, such as that described with respect to FIG. 7. At the load/unload station, plant vessels, which may include plants, may be loaded into the growing trays, or unloaded from the growing trays, as describe with respect to FIG. 7. Routine 1200 may further include loading the growing trays into load/unload modules, or removing them from load/unload modules, such as those described with respect to FIG. 8.

In one embodiment, routine 1200 may include the grow module transport device moving a grow module to a cleaning station, such as was introduced with respect to FIG. 1. Here debris and residue may be cleaned from the grow modules. The grow module transport device may then remove the grow module from the cleaning station.

In one embodiment, routine 1200 may further include moving a grow module to a light adjust station using the grow module transport device. The light adjust station, as introduced in FIG. 9, may reposition the light trays within the grow module and may remove the light trays from the grow module and replacing them with different light trays. Once lighting adjustments are complete, the grow module transport device may remove the grow module from the light adjust station.

The methods, apparatuses, and systems in this disclosure are described in the preceding on the basis of several preferred embodiments. Different aspects of different variants are considered to be described in combination with each other such that all combinations that upon reading by a skilled person in the field on the basis of this document may be regarded as being read within the concept of the invention. The preferred embodiments do not limit the extent of protection of this document.

Having thus described embodiments of the present invention of the present application in detail and by reference to illustrative embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An automated growing facility comprising: a growing chamber, including: grow modules including: plant vessels; growing trays configured to accommodate the plant vessels; light trays; tray support and securement features configured to adjustably support and secure the growing trays and the light trays within the grow modules; and ventilation systems; a fertigation station, including: a fertigation gantry lift including: a tray attachment feature configured to securely attach to the growing trays; and a tray movement system configured to transfer growing trays between the grow modules and the fertigation station; a fertigation system, including: a vessel clamping system; and an injection system; a load/unload station, including: a load/unload module; a load/unload process module configured to at least one of: load the plant vessels into the growing trays; load the growing trays into the grow modules; unload the growing trays from the grow modules; and unload the plant vessels from the growing trays; and a load/unload movement system configured to transfer growing trays between the grow modules and the load/unload station; at least one grow module transport device configured to transport grow modules throughout the automated growing facility; and a control system configured to control at least one of the grow modules, the fertigation station, the load/unload station, and the at least one grow module transport device.
 2. The automated growing facility of claim 1, the grow modules further including ventilation systems configured to provide airflow across the growing trays within the grow modules.
 3. The automated growing facility of claim 1, wherein the tray attachment feature of the fertigation gantry lift of the fertigation system comprises end of arm tooling (EOAT).
 4. The automated growing facility of claim 1, the load/unload movement system comprising at least one of a load/unload gantry lift, a load/unload conveyor, and a load/unload tray elevator.
 5. The automated growing facility of claim 1, wherein the at least one grow module transport device is an automated guided vehicle (AGV) configured to transport the grow modules.
 6. The automated growing facility of claim 1, further comprising a cleaning station configured to remove debris and residue from the grow modules.
 7. The automated growing facility of claim 1, further comprising a light adjust station, including: light tray attachment features configured to securely attach to the light trays; and a light tray movement system configured to perform at least one of: reposition the light trays within the grow modules; and remove the light trays from the grow modules and replace them with different light trays.
 8. The automated growing facility of claim 1, further comprising a fertigation upstream nutrient mixing and delivery system configured to incorporate at least one of nutrients, gases, pesticides, selective herbicides, and fungicides into water sent to the fertigation system.
 9. The automated growing facility of claim 1, further comprising a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) system configured to control at least one of air temperature, humidity, and air carbon dioxide levels throughout the automated growing facility.
 10. A method of operating an automated growing facility, the method comprising: transporting grow modules from a growing chamber to a fertigation station using at least one grow module transport device configured to transport the grow modules, the growing chamber including: grow modules including: plant vessels; growing trays configured to accommodate the plant vessels; light trays; tray support and securement features configured to adjustably support and secure the growing trays and the light trays within the grow modules; and ventilation systems; the fertigation station, including: a fertigation gantry lift including: a tray attachment feature configured to securely attach to the growing trays; and a tray movement system configured to transfer growing trays between the grow modules and the fertigation station; a fertigation system, including: a vessel clamping system; and an injection system; fertigating the plant vessels; and transporting the grow modules containing fertigated plant vessels to the growing chamber using the at least one grow module transport device.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising loading, at a load/unload station, the plant vessels into the growing trays, wherein the plant vessels include plants, the load/unload station, including: a load/unload module; a load/unload process module configured to at least one of: load the plant vessels into the growing trays; load the growing trays into the grow modules; unload the growing trays from the grow modules; and unload the plant vessels from the growing trays; and a load/unload movement system configured to transfer growing trays between the grow modules and the load/unload station.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising loading the growing trays into the grow modules.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transporting the loaded grow modules, including the plant vessels comprising plants, from the load/unload station to the growing chamber using the at least one grow module transport device.
 14. The method of claim 10, further comprising unloading, at a load/unload station, the plant vessels from the growing trays in the grow modules, wherein the plant vessels include plants, the load/unload station, including: a load/unload module; a load/unload process module configured to at least one of: load the plant vessels into the growing trays; load the growing trays into the grow modules; unload the growing trays from the grow modules; and unload the plant vessels from the growing trays; and a load/unload movement system configured to transfer growing trays between the grow modules and the load/unload station.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transporting the grow modules, including the plant vessels comprising plants, from the growing chamber to the load/unload station using the at least one grow module transport device.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising unloading the growing trays from the grow modules.
 17. The method of claim 10, further comprising moving the grow modules to a cleaning station using the at least one grow module transport device, the cleaning station configured to remove debris and residue from the grow modules.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: cleaning debris and residue from the grow modules at the cleaning station; and removing cleaned grow modules from the cleaning station using the at least one grow module transport device.
 19. The method of claim 10, further comprising moving the grow modules to a light adjust station using the at least one grow module transport device, the light adjust station including: light tray attachment features configured to securely attach to the light trays; and a light tray movement system configured to perform at least one of: repositioning the light trays within the grow modules; and removing the light trays from the grow modules and replacing them with different light trays.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: adjusting at least one light tray within the grow modules, wherein light tray adjustments include at least one of repositioning the light tray within the grow modules and replacing the at least one light tray with a different light tray; and removing the grow modules from the light adjust station using the at least one grow module transport device. 